Jewish Advocacy Group Donor Linked to Hong Kong

HONG KONG–If you thought Happy Valley was a long way away from K-Street, think again. A mystery Hong Kong donor to a liberal Jewish advocacy group is the surprise connection linking a quiet, residential part of Hong Kong with the heart of America’s powerful lobbying industry.The Washington Times reported last week that billionaire George Soros and his family are a major donor to J Street, a group whose aims include bringing about “vigorous US leadership to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to broaden debate around Israel and the Middle East in national politics and the American Jewish community,” as stated on its website. The group is seen as a left-of-center alternative to other pro-Israel groups in the U.S. such as the influential American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.Soros and his family are not the single largest contributor to the group, however. J Street’s filings show that the largest single contribution, in the sum of US$811,697, came from a woman named Consolacion Ediscul, who is listed under an address in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. The Washington Times said on Monday J Street’s executive director Jeremy Ben Ami confirmed Ms Esdicul had donated the money “in multiple wire transfers at the behest of” a man named William, or Bill, Benter.Not much is known about Ms. Ediscul. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful.It turns out that there is another Happy Valley connection, as Mr. Benter is no stranger to the neighborhood’s most famous symbol – the racecourse. Mr. Benter, referred to in one article as “the most successful sports bettor in the world,” ran a betting syndicate here and reportedly made a killing on horses through a software program he created. He is also chief executive and chairman of Acusis, a Pittsburgh-based medical transcription firm.Mr. Benter, who lives in Pittsburgh, is a generous supporter of universities in Hong Kong, sponsoring a prize in applied mathematics as well as a lecture series in mathematical sciences at City University, among other donations.His philanthropy in Hong Kong doesn’t stop there. Mr. Benter is an active member of the Rotary Club, and through an organization called The Advantage Trust, is a donor to charities such as Sowers Action, the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children and the Hong Kong Cancer Fund. He is also married to a woman from Hong Kong, Vivian Fung Benter. The two, who married this year, regularly grace the news and society pages of the Pittsburgh press, where Mr. Benter is known as a businessman and philanthropist. Mr. Benter donated US$1 million to the University of Pittsburgh in 2007.At a fundraiser for Hong Kong charity Camp Quality, Ms. Esdicul was photographed with actor Jackie Chan as a representative of The Advantage Trust, affirming the link between her and Mr. Benter. Camp Quality said it declines to comment on donors as a policy.The Advantage Trust isn’t listed in Hong Kong by the Inland Revenue Department or in the U.S. by the IRS as a charity, and there appears to be no corporate website, meaning it could be a private trust of some sort, for example.Mr. Benter has a history of donations consistent with his connection to J Street. According to political campaign contribution records, in 2008 Mr. Benter and Acusis were listed as donors to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party of Virginia. This year, The Advantage Trust donated to Israeli-based organization Rabbis for Human Rights.Mr. Benter didn’t respond to a message requesting comment.It’s unclear what motivated Ms. Esdicul to become J Street’s biggest benefactor. Perhaps, as J Street’s Ben Ami suggested to the Washington Times ((link here http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/24/soros-funder-liberal-jewish-american-lobby/?page=3 )), Ms. Esdicul is just “trying to make the Middle East a Happy Valley.”– Isabella Steger

HONG KONG–If you thought Happy Valley was a long way away from K-Street, think again. A mystery Hong Kong donor to a liberal Jewish advocacy group is the surprise connection linking a quiet, residential part of Hong Kong with the heart of America’s powerful lobbying industry.

The Washington Times reported last week that billionaire George Soros and his family are a major donor to J Street, a group whose aims include bringing about “vigorous US leadership to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to broaden debate around Israel and the Middle East in national politics and the American Jewish community,” as stated on its website. The group is seen as a left-of-center alternative to other pro-Israel groups in the U.S. such as the influential American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.

Soros and his family are not the single largest contributor to the group, however. J Street’s filings show that the largest single contribution, in the sum of US$811,697, came from a woman named Consolacion Ediscul, who is listed under an address in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. The Washington Times said on Monday J Street’s executive director Jeremy Ben Ami confirmed Ms. Esdicul had donated the money “in multiple wire transfers at the behest of” a man named William, or Bill, Benter.

Not much is known about Ms. Ediscul. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful.

It turns out that there is another Happy Valley connection, as Mr. Benter is no stranger to the neighborhood’s most famous symbol – the racecourse. Mr. Benter, referred to in one article as “the most successful sports bettor in the world,” ran a betting syndicate here and reportedly made a killing on horses through a software program he created. He is also chief executive and chairman of Acusis, a Pittsburgh-based medical transcription firm.

Mr. Benter, who lives in Pittsburgh, is a generous supporter of universities in Hong Kong, sponsoring a prize in applied mathematics as well as a lecture series in mathematical sciences at City University, among other donations.

His philanthropy in Hong Kong doesn’t stop there. Mr. Benter is an active member of the Rotary Club, and through an organization called The Advantage Trust, is a donor to charities such as Sowers Action, the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children and the Hong Kong Cancer Fund. He is also married to a woman from Hong Kong, Vivian Fung Benter. The two, who married this year, regularly grace the news and society pages of the Pittsburgh press, where Mr. Benter is known as a businessman and philanthropist. Mr. Benter donated US$1 million to the University of Pittsburgh in 2007.

At a fundraiser for Hong Kong charity Camp Quality, Ms. Esdicul was photographed with actor Jackie Chan as a representative of The Advantage Trust, affirming the link between her and Mr. Benter. Camp Quality said it declines to comment on donors as a policy.

The Advantage Trust isn’t listed in Hong Kong by the Inland Revenue Department or in the U.S. by the IRS as a charity, and there appears to be no corporate website, meaning it could be a private trust of some sort, for example.

Mr. Benter has a history of donations consistent with his connection to J Street. According to political campaign contribution records, in 2008 Mr. Benter and Acusis were listed as donors to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party of Virginia. This year, The Advantage Trust donated to Israeli-based organization Rabbis for Human Rights.

Mr. Benter didn’t respond to a message requesting comment.

It’s unclear what motivated Ms. Esdicul to become J Street’s biggest benefactor. Perhaps, as J Street’s Ben Ami suggested to the Washington Times, Ms. Esdicul is just “trying to make the Middle East a Happy Valley.”

– Isabella Steger

HONG KONG–If you thought Happy Valley was a long way away from K-Street, think again. A mystery Hong Kong donor to a liberal Jewish advocacy group is the surprise connection linking a quiet, residential part of Hong Kong with the heart of America’s powerful lobbying industry.

Reuters

George Soros and his family are major contributors to Jewish advocacy group J Street, but a mysterious Hong Kong donor made the largest single-time donation to the group, giving US$811,697.

The Washington Times reported last week that billionaire George Soros and his family are a major donor to J Street, a group whose aims include bringing about “vigorous US leadership to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to broaden debate around Israel and the Middle East in national politics and the American Jewish community,” as stated on its website. The group is seen as a left-of-center alternative to other pro-Israel groups in the U.S. such as the influential American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.

Soros and his family are not the single largest contributor to the group, however. J Street’s filings show that the largest single contribution, in the sum of US$811,697, came from a woman named Consolacion Ediscul, who is listed under an address in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. The Washington Times said on Monday J Street’s executive director Jeremy Ben Ami confirmed Ms. Esdicul had donated the money “in multiple wire transfers at the behest of” a man named William, or Bill, Benter.

Not much is known about Ms. Ediscul. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful.

It turns out that there is another Happy Valley connection, as Mr. Benter is no stranger to the neighborhood’s most famous symbol – the racecourse. Mr. Benter, referred to in one article as “the most successful sports bettor in the world,” ran a betting syndicate here and reportedly made a killing on horses through a software program he created. He is also chief executive and chairman of Acusis, a Pittsburgh-based medical transcription firm.

Mr. Benter, who lives in Pittsburgh, is a generous supporter of universities in Hong Kong, sponsoring a prize in applied mathematics as well as a lecture series in mathematical sciences at City University, among other donations.

His philanthropy in Hong Kong doesn’t stop there. Mr. Benter is an active member of the Rotary Club, and through an organization called The Advantage Trust, is a donor to charities such as Sowers Action, the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children and the Hong Kong Cancer Fund. He is also married to a woman from Hong Kong, Vivian Fung Benter. The two, who married this year, regularly grace the news and society pages of the Pittsburgh press, where Mr. Benter is known as a businessman and philanthropist. Mr. Benter donated US$1 million to the University of Pittsburgh in 2007.

At a fundraiser for Hong Kong charity Camp Quality, Ms. Esdicul was photographed with actor Jackie Chan as a representative of The Advantage Trust, affirming the link between her and Mr. Benter. Camp Quality said it declines to comment on donors as a policy.

The Advantage Trust isn’t listed in Hong Kong by the Inland Revenue Department or in the U.S. by the IRS as a charity, and there appears to be no corporate website, meaning it could be a private trust of some sort, for example.

Mr. Benter has a history of donations consistent with his connection to J Street. According to political campaign contribution records, in 2008 Mr. Benter and Acusis were listed as donors to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and the Democratic Party of Virginia. This year, The Advantage Trust donated to Israeli-based organization Rabbis for Human Rights.

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